Page:Once a Week Jul - Dec 1859.pdf/547

536 at me. I’m not  ashamed  to  confess  that  I was beforehand with  him,  and  sought  ignominious shelter in  the  sheets. He growled  again,  and  I heard  him  trot  round  to  his  original  position  at the  feet  of  his  master. My case  seems  ridiculous, but it  was  really  desperate. The wind  was  blowing dead  on  me,  and  what  with  my  Indian  constitution and  the  draughts,  I saw  myself  clearly in for  a long  course  of  ills. But it  was  a full hour before  I could  resolve  what  to  do: a most miserable hour,  I can  assure  you. I jumped out  of bed  with  all  the  bed-coverings  in  my  hand — met the savage  beast  as  he  was  about  to  spring,  and buried him  under  them. I had just  time  to  shut the window — I was  hurrying  back  to  my  bed, when I saw  his  tail  emerge,  and  there  was  nothing for it  but  to  return  to  bed  as  rapidly  as  I could, and leave  him  the  sheets  and  blankets. There I remained,  as  cold  as  ever,  while  he  took  his  station on  them. There never  was  such  a dog  in  the manger! If I got  hold  of  the  end  of  a blanket and began  to  pull,  he  growled  and  made  a dash  at my  hand. The very  movement  of  my  leg  caused him to  be  up  and  alert  for  an  encounter. Once I pulled  with  all  my  might,  and  the  beast  seized the blanket  between  his  teeth  and  pulled  against me. I became enraged. I thought of  my  original stratagem; and leaping  out  again,  I flung  the blanket — or what  portion  of  it  was  in  my  possession— straight  at  him. But this  time  I was  not so successful. I only contrived  to  blind  his  eye for a moment — the  next  we  were  rolling  together over the  recumbent  Scotchman.

“Hech! is it  the  deil? I heard him  say; and he grasped  my  foot.

“I lashed  out,  and  sent  him  roaring  backward. Presently he  and  I were  engaged,  and  burst through the  door  in  our  struggle,  without  much difficulty, right  on  to  the  body  of  my  friend’s Scotchman, extended  in  the  manner  of  his  com- rade. He uttered  a similar  inquiry  about  the deil! and forthwith  joined  in  the  fray. My friend was not  long  in  adding  a fourth  to  this  curious nocturnal engagement,  the  dog  all  the  while  barking furiously,  and  snapping  at  every  leg  but  his master’s. This lasted,  1 should  think,  about twenty minutes,  at  the  shortest  calculation,  when the shepherd  and  his  wife  appeared  with  lights, and I hope  they  were  gratified. But their  arrival gave rise  to  the  second  case  of  dead-lock  on



record. None of  us  would  move  till  the  dog  was secured. I held my  Scotchman  firmly; my  friend held me; his  Scotchman  held  mine; and  mine had got  hold  of  my  friend — being  tenacious  of  his quarry, I suppose,  for  he  had  nothing  to  fear; and so  we  continued  till  the  dog  was  secured. It was then  close  upon  morning. We all  went  down stairs, and  drank  in  the  day. Nothing extraordinary, you  see,  but  something  to  laugh  at.”

This unlocked  us.

“I think I’ll  take  a little  more  of  your  punch, sir,”  said  Mr. Selby to  Mr. Lorquison.